Fumble Free

MWB Archives (Sept 2015). Football is not my area of expertise, and some of the games terminology just doesn’t register with me.  I do know, however, what a fumble looks like and that no one likes a fumble … that is, unless you’re the opposing team. Fumbling of our faith happens.  In football, as in most sports, the one with the ball is the one under attack!  Such attacks on our faith take many forms, and Satan is good at those "squeeze plays" causing us to stumble and fall.  Satan hits hardest when [it seems] I've neglected God’s Word and prayer time with The Father.  In Philippians 2, Paul was encouraged by his fellow Believers in Philippi for their faithfulness and admonished them to, "shine brightly" in their faith.  He knew well, and firsthand, how difficult the "shining" part was so he wrote, "Hold firmly the message of life." (V.2a).  Holding tightly to what we know to be good and honorable isn’t easy when those around us live otherwise, when the world is anti-Christ, when compromise is the easier way of living.  How sad for those searching souls in our circle of influence [our mission field] if we fumble, stutter, or side-step The Truth. May it not be so!  Ask God for power and grace to live-out the truth of The Gospel message ... fumble free.

Garden Moment

From MWB Archives (Sept 2021) ... It's been said a friend is someone who knows you well and still likes you.  Honestly, it's not just friends but family.  No one knows my uh-ohs and oh-nos better than my husband and children: they eat my "burnt offerings," they see me without makeup, they don't comment on my morning hair, and they know me before the day's first shot of caffeine.  Have you ever thought about the hard things that happened in gardens?  Man's worst moment came about in a garden, and Jesus prayed one of His toughest prayers in a garden: "Father, let this cup pass from Me."  Jesus asked The Father if He [really] must face the horrors of death but it was [indeed] the Will of The Father.  For me, Christ surrendered His own will ... yes, for me.  God already knew my faith would be shallow and weak; that there would be times when the world [and my family] would look at me and wonder what difference Christ really made in my life. Yes, He knew all that and more! But, there in that garden of prayer, Jesus' obedience reigned!  "For even Christ pleased not Himself." (Romans 15:3); "It pleased The LORD to bruise Him." (Isaiah 53:10a).  Man's terrible garden blunder was gloriously superseded by the beauty of Jesus' garden surrender to finish His mission - to redeem my soul. I'm so thankful for Jesus and His ... garden moment.

Choose Humility

 Let me humbly suggest there is a very fine line between self-confidence and prideful arrogance. After several kind reminders of an upcoming appointment, which I [pretty much] ignored since I had the date and time in my calendar, I arrived one hour earlier than the actual appointment time. However absurdly certain I was of myself ... I was wrong! Proverbs 21:4 tells us a haughty person acts with arrogant pride. Have you noticed how arrogance rarely remains hidden? The attitude of being [as Yogi bragged] "smarter-than-the-average-bear" is eventually revealed in a person's behavior ... via arrogant acts. And, the opposite of arrogance is ... humility. God "leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way." (Psalm 25:9 ESV). The taste of "humble pie" (aka "eating crow") is never tasty nor is it a good look on those who love The Lord and seek to please Him. God opposes the proud and those who humble themselves before Him receive more grace (James 4:6). The arrogant person will never "walk humbly with God" (Micah 6:8) because they will always insist on their own way and walk in their own wisdom! Setting aside ourselves is perhaps one of the hardest things we'll do as followers of Jesus Who is the model in perfect humility. During that hour-long wait [for my actual appointment], I had plenty of time to think about my own arrogant pride and how it hinders my spiritual mindset and subsequent behavior. In Proverbs 22:4 God promises spiritual riches, honor and life to the humble! That is so much better than a menu of humble pie ... choose humility!

Tender Care

Perhaps you're well aware of the potential pain of removing a bandage. There's a dilemma that precedes its removal: do I remove it gently and carefully or just rip it off? There's pain in both methods, however, the yank-it-off method can leave an abrasion and bruising. Upon returning from captivity, God's people needed reminding God is ever at-work: "The LORD is building up Jerusalem; He is gathering [together] the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [healing their pain and comforting their sorrow]." (Psalm 147:2-3 AMP). Life can be much like a curve ball that takes a sharp unexpected turn; the result is very often shock, dismay and disbelief! Like a bandage ripped from tender skin, the pain and bruising can crush the spirit and disheartened even the most trusting of souls. One commentator wrote, "God's principle work is always within the human heart." Although not all things that happen to us in this life are God's design, all things are altogether in His control; in His sovereignty, He allows otherwise painful things to accomplish His work on the human heart. David prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God ... renew a right and steadfast spirit within me ... restore to me the joy of Your salvation ... sustain me with a willing spirit" (Psalm 51:10-12). It is God Who counts the number of the start and calls them all by their names, the LORD of abundant strength and inexhaustible infinite boundless understanding who offers healing to the wounding and bruising we face in life. The LORD indeed "is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit" (Psalm 34:18 ESV). In love and mercy, He tenderly applies fresh binding to our wounds and bruises, and He oversees the healing process. Bless the LORD, O my soul, for The Father's ... tender care.

Rest and Be Rescue

If you've ever watched a drowning person be rescued, the one in trouble often hinders the rescue. In fear and panic, he struggles against the one who can bring him to safety. God warned His people about aligning themselves - putting their trust in - pagan nations instead of relying solely on Him as their deliverer. He pictures the result of their misplaced trust like this: "Like a crack [in a wall] about to fall, a bulge in a high wall, whose collapse comes suddenly in an instant, whose collapse is like the smashing of a potter's jar, crushed so savagely that there cannot be found among its pieces a potsherd [large enough] to take [coals of] fire from a fireplace, or to scoop water from a cistern." (Isaiah 30:13-14 AMP). God is not without mercy, however: "For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel has said this, 'In returning [to Me] and rest you shall be saved, in quietness and confident trust your strength.'" (V.15). The Puritan says it like this: "the repenting soul is the victorious soul" (The Valley of Vision). I like to think of it like this - to give up is to win. Like a victim of treacherous waters, drowning and in desperate need of rescue, when we surrender to The One Who is all sufficient - able and willing to deliver us, only then are we brought to safety. What a beautiful promise we have, "The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:14 ESV). Don't forfeit the victory Jesus promises - know His ... rest and rescue.